


Blood Ties

by ProfoundCranium



Category: Call of Duty (Video Games)
Genre: Asshole Stuhlinger, Blood of the Dead, Doctor Marlton, Easter Egg Spoilers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Richtofen, Fix It Fic, Gen, Mature Misty, Motherly Misty, No Beta, Read at Own Risk, We Die Like Men, alcatraz island, vent fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-08-29 00:53:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16733919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProfoundCranium/pseuds/ProfoundCranium
Summary: Waking up from a cryo pod was a bitch. But so was leaving someone to die. And Misty wasn't gonna do both in the same day.





	1. Chapter 1

 

 

I've always hated the cold. Growing up in Oregon kinda made being heat resistant a preresiquite to living there. But now, I kinda wish I was born somewhere colder. Then maybe the ice thawing away from my skin wouldn't feel like my flesh being flayed off.

 

**Cryo Pods 1,2,3, and 4, activated**

 

**Thawing Sequence Initiated**

 

The noise was muffled, but still capable of being heard. Even to my practically frozen ears. I couldn't see anything, but I was frankly much more worried about my inability to breathe. I was scared. The next several moments were spent with me being unable to see, move, barely able to hear, and unable to speak. Eventually, the ice on my body got thin enough for me to open my eyes and mouth. A frozen over steel door greeted my vision. I was able to move my hands at this point and immediately tried to slam open the door. I'm not sure if my efforts actually counted for anything, but the door swung upwards the second my hands made contact with it's surface.

 

**Cryo Pod 3, open.**

 

I wasn't able to walk yet, as I couldn't feel my legs. So I settled for plan B and just fell face first out of the pod. Switching from vertically standing to horizontally resting in such a short time was probably a bad idea because I suddenly felt really sick. Aaaand there goes the contents of my stomach. I distantly heard the sound of the distorted robot lady saying some more bullshit. But I was way too busy trying not to fall into my bile as I lay on my hands and knees on the floor.

 

"Misty!"

 

 I'm pretty sure I just heard someone call my name, but they can fucking wait for a minute. Except someone's trying to yank me to my feet so I guess break times over.

 

"Misty! Get it together girl!"

 

I look up as my vision clears itself to see a familiar old man.

 

"Russman?"

 

I feel myself get dragged over to a wooden table. Russman sweeps a lot of shit off of said table before sitting me down on it and walking away. I sit there for a bit, getting my shit together and generally feeling like frostbitten crap. Eventually, after a few minutes, I start to take stock of my surroundings. I'm in some sort of underground laboratory? I think? Looking back, I see that I was in some sort of Cryo Pod, which explains why I was so stupidly cold even though this room is fucking smelting. The walls are covered top to bottom in scraps of paper. There is even a blackboard right next to me. Over to the left, I could see Stuhlinger, leaning on the side of his cryo pod, looking surprisingly okay all things considered. At least he didn't throw up like I did. He was dressed in the same clothes he had always worn. Vest, shorts and a T-shirt. A quick check of my own body revealed that I was also wearing my own clothes. Flannel shirt tied over a bra and some jeans.

 

"I'm getting real tired of this shit." I muttered to myself, very pissed that I had woken up this way.

 

"You and me both." I look over and see Russman crouched by a groaning Marlton. Marty looked like he was having the same problems I had when I woke up if the puddle of sick next to his pod was of any indication. Russman didn't looked too pleased with his current predicament. I walk over on unsteady legs, intent on checking on the nerd curled up on the stone floor.

 

"Hey honey? How ya feeling?" Marlton looks up at me.

 

"Like crap. But it could be worse, I suppose." I give him a smile and ruffle his hair before standing up.

 

"Alright. So is everyone ready to move? We gotta figure out what hellhole we've been dropped into this time!" Everyone seemed to agree with my statement, as they all stood up relatively quickly. Even Marlton, the poor bastard. After a few moments of making sure everyone was actually capable of walking, we all walked up a random staircase tucked away in the corner of the room before coming up to what looked like a garage door. It was already open.

 

"What is that?"

 

I ignored Stuhlinger's question and ran straight out the building and into what looks to be an arena crafted from fire and brimstone. It was blisteringly hot, but I didn't care. All I cared about was the giant generator looking machine in the middle.

 

"Misty! What are you doing?"

 

 I ignored Marlton's cries. I just had a feeling that I was about to find something bad.

 

" _It's not fair..... I'm not supposed to.... Not like this_ "

 

 I could hear muttering as I got closer to the machine. Upon running around it, I gasped at my discovery. A man, hooked up on some sort of vertical gurney, needles and tubes hooked up to him, draining his life into a series of containers. Containers that were almost full. I jumped at a blast of lightning that shocked a cable above me, but I immediately jumped onto the mystery man, trying to get him out of the machine.

 

 "C'mon. C'mon you fucker! Don't die on me!" I screamed as I yanked on the tubes in the man's arms. They wouldn't give regardless of my efforts. Looking up at his face, I could see his eyes fluttering, pupils glazed over as he barely registered his surroundings. He was falling asleep. "Hey! Hey! Stay with me!" I snapped my fingers in front of his face, shaking him back awake before turning back to my friends and yelling. "GUYS! GET YOUR ASSES OVER HERE!"

 

Turning back towards the semi-lucid man, I took in his appearance. He was dressed in a fancy button up shirt underneath a vest and some work pants. He looked like a classic adventurer. Unfortunatly, the image was ruined by the unsettling amount of blood staining his entire body. I couldn't even tell if all of it was his. Looking back up at his face, I could see his eyes staring at me with a clear plea. Then he spoke.

 

_"Please, I don't want to be forgotten."_

 

German. He sounded distinctly German. Okay, I could work with that. Suddenly all the man's weight fell on me as the machine released him, needles retreating back into the machine. As I fell to the scalding floor stone floor, I saw Marlton standing next to the machine, hands hovering over some sort of control panel.

 

Nodding towards him in thanks, I immediately adjusted the man in my lap, trying to find the extent in his injuries. Blood still leaked from his wrists and neck. "FUCK! He's gonna need some blood!" I look up at my friends, they didn't seem eager to help me. Russman stood back with Stuhlinger, looking guarded and ready to move at the slightest provocation. Marlton was standing by the machine, helping, but looking solemn.

 

"C'mon guys! We need to help him!"

 

Stuhlinger in the back shook his head as he gave me a scathing glare.

 

"Do you even know who that is? That's Richtofen, the whole reason we're in this hellhole!" Stuhlinger was clearly angry, but that didn't matter. He was a pushover, always had been. He talks a big game, but faced with any kind of threat, he folds. And today, I wasn't in the fucking mood for his bullshit.

 

"Are you fucking kidding me? He's the first human we've seen in MONTHS on this godforsaken wasteland and you wanna leave him here to die?!" Stuhlinger reeled back at my vitriol, but he still held a glint of determination in his eyes.

 

"Marlton!" The scientist turned towards me.

 

"Yes?" I started dragging the practically unconscious German by his shoulders across the ground.

 

"He needs blood, help me get him to the lab. There has to be something there to draw blood with." Marlton looked conflicted for a second, but quickly ran over and grabbed the man's legs. Together, we carried 'Richtofen' back through the building we just left, back down into the Cryo Pod room. We laid his body out on the wooden table in the center before ransacking the room, looking for a tube and needle. Yanking open a random drawer finally yielded the results I wanted.

 

"Found it!" I held up the tube and needle, trying to get Marlton's attention. Stuhlinger and Russman just sat back, leaning on the wall as both Marlton and I worked. The scientist ran over to me, grabbing the equipment from my hands.

 

"Well? Now what?" I rush over to the steel table, checking on our patient.

 

 _"I wanted it to be me..... this me...."_ He was muttering deliriously. Great fucking news.

 

"We're gonna give him my blood." I started tugging back my sleeve and remove the glove on my right hand. "He needs some and my blood type is O Negative."

 

I drag a nearby stool over and sit down, presenting my bare wrist to Marlton. Marlton shook as he stared at my hand, looking sick.

 

"Marlton!" The scientist stopped shaking when I yelled at him, steeling himself as he inserted the needle into the crook of my elbow. I winced at the pain, but I didn't care much at the moment. When Marlton tried to insert the needle into Richtofen's arm, Richtofen lurched his arm to the side, scaring the shit out of both of us.

 

 _"No! Please, no more!"_ I lurched out my stool, reaching over and placing my hand on the German's shoulder.

 

"Hey! Hey, it's okay! It's gonna be okay! I promise!"  The German reached up and grabbed my hand with his own blood soaked one.

 

 _"Please, don't let me die. I want to see it! I-I want to see the end!"_ His grip was weak, but I could tell he was trying.

 

"We won't let you die. But you need to endure for just a bit longer. Okay?" He nodded at me before he passed out, grip going slack. I checked for a pulse and found a weak one.

 

"C'mon Marlton!"

 

Marlton did his job and inserted the other end of the tube into Richtofen's arm and I watched the blood seep from my end of the tube to his.

 

"Grab some bandages too. We need to wrap his arms and neck." Marlton did as I requested, bring me some gauze out of a filing cabinet on the other end of the table. It was over quickly as we wrapped the German's wounds, ensuring he wouldn't lose the blood I was giving him.

 

"Now, we wait." I sat back down in my stool, leaning my head on the table as I watched the blood deprived German sleep.

 

"This is just great. Helping the person who almost got us killed." Stuhlinger's sarcastic voice echoed across the room, grating on my ears as I tried to rest.

 

"Shut it Stu. You can yell after I get some sleep. All of you should rest too, but do it in cycles. I need someone to unhook me in case I give too much." Marlton simply lie down on the floor where he stood. I could understand that. With how little sleep we get, any rest anywhere is always appreciated. Stuhlinger did the same. Russman walked over to my side of the table, dragging a stool with him as he went. The old timer sat down next to me, watching me for a bit. He didn't speak until the other two were sound asleep.

 

"Why didja do it?" Russman finally asked the question I'm sure they all were wondering.

 

I stared at Richtofen for a bit, chin resting in the crook of my left elbow. I made sure to simply rest my open right arm on the table. I didn't want to disrupt the steady blood flow.

 

"Direction."

 

"What?" Russman looked confused at my answer.

 

"He gave us direction. What was our goal Russ? The world had ended. We had nothing to do. No goal to work towards. He gave us that."

 

"He almost got us killed girl!" I shook my head lightly, still staring at the German's prone form.

 

"I don't think this one did. He didn't recognize me. He didn't recognize any of us. I think he has more in common with us than we would like to believe."

 

"What are you getting at?"

 

"How do you think he got into that machine Russ? He was left there. Left to bleed to death to power some sort of hell machine. I don't care who you are, no-one deserves to go out like that."

 

"So, what do we do next."

 

"We wait for him to wake up. Them we figure out how to leave."

 

"Simple as that huh?"

 

"Yep." I grinned as I looked over the peacefully sleeping Richtofen through lidded eyes.

 

"Simple as that."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I could edit this? But who the fuck is even here to care that I didn't? I'm tired, it's 2:00 AM. Take this chapter. It's the last one, unless I get randomly inspired again. Enjoy!

Ever lost a large amount of blood before? No? Good. Because it's a terrible experience. My legs were the first thing to give out. They just decided that I was going to be sitting on that stool for an extended period because they wouldn't obey my commands to move and they certainly wouldn't hold me up. Then it started to get cold, which is strange considering the insane amount of magma surrounding this hellish rock I have ended up on. It was at this point that I realized that Richtofen here was gonna need more blood than I had to give, which was unfortunate considering he is both our ticket out of here and someone I genuinely wanted to save. And I ain't no liar! Just ask every undead bastard that's buried in the ground. I promised to put 'em there, and there they are.

"Misty!" I think someone's shaking me? But it's really hard to tell. I can't really understand much of what's going on right now. "C'mon girl! Snap out of it!"

Awareness returns to me slowly, first in sounds, then in sights. I'm still in the psychopath lab, still lying on the table next to Richtofen and Russman. Everything is more or less the same as when I fazed out. Although Richtofen does have considerably more color to his skin, though it does make the blood seeping through his bandages stand out all the more. Sitting up, I realized just how hard I was shivering, and how cold everything felt, and how weak I felt. I turned toward Russman, a questioning look plastered on my face.

"You don't look too good girl. You're awfully pale and yer lips are turning blue."

I put my gloved finger to my lips self consciously  before trying to stand up. That didn't go very well, I got about an inch off my chair before my body said 'Nope!' and gave up on me. Russman looked alarmed at my sudden movements but I just ignored him as I yanked the needle out of my arm, leaving it on the table.

"Alright, yank out his end too and bandage it. We can't have him leaking onto the table. Then wake Marlton up. He needs to come with me to the machine outside." I spoke through strangled gasps. It was way too hard to breathe. Guess I gave too much.

"With all due respect, I don't think your fixin to go anywhere."

He was right. I couldn't stand up let alone go outside.

"Fine. Just wake Marlton, then I'll tell you what to do."

Russman stood up and went to do what I asked. Meanwhile, I shivered like a drowned cat and observed Richtofen. He looked better. His bandages were a little soggy with blood, but didn't look like they  required changing for a bit longer. His breathing was still shallow, but he was breathing. So that's good. "Heh, we both look like shit. Fitting for the setting I guess." I chuckle before sneezing. Clearly I was going crazy if I was talking to unconscious bodies.

"What is it Misty?" I turn around to see Marlton walking with Russman, clearly still out of it from his impromptu nap. "What happened to you? You look blue and sick."

I wave off the scientist's concerns. "I'm fine, just gave a little to much  blood to our friend here. Right now, I have a job for the two of you."

I could see the confusion in both the men's faces. "Richtofen here needs more blood, so I need you-" I poke Marlton in the chest as I speak." To go up to that machine outside. There were containers of Richtofen's blood on the machine. You're the only person here with the know-how to figure out how to unlock the machine and get those blood jugs."

Marlton's narrowed his eyes in thought as he considered what I was asking of him. "Well? Can you do it four eyes?"

Marlton grinned at the nickname before nodding. "Theoretically, the machine should have a release valve somewhere. I should be able to find it with a simple trial and error method."

Marlton seemed happy to have something to do. I could understand. Only thing worse than fighting endless waves of the undead was boredom. "Well then what're you still doing here smarty pants? Go! Russman will go with ya to give ya a helping hand!"

"Wait a second! I didn't agree to this!" I almost bust out laughing at Russman's undignified reaction at being told to work with Marlton. "Well suck it up old timer! You're the only person here that can help him right now. I mean, if you'd rather ask Stuhlinger-"

I leave the sentence hanging there, letting them imagine the outcome as we all turn to stare at the still sleeping Stuhlinger. Russman nods in understanding before grumbling under his breath and walking towards the staircase in the corner, Marlton on his heels.

I grin at the two leave as I lay my head back down next to Richtofen.

"Talk about a long fucking day." I closed my eyes, focusing on the residual warmth of the room.  Back at Tranzit, I complained about how hot it was with all the magma. But at this point, I'm beginning to enjoy the burning heat. It just feels better than the biting cold of that Cryo-pod.

"ugh…..where am I? Maxis? Is that you?"  My head snapped up at the sound of a new voice.

Richtofen was stirring. I rested my ungloved right hand on his forehead. He was a little cold still, but he wasn't shivering anymore. His eyes opened and his gaze flicked around the room, clearly panicked.

"Hey! Hey, look at me. I'm right here! It's me, Misty!" Richtofen's gaze focused on me before he finally relaxed. I could see the barest sparks of hope in his blue eyes.

"Abigail? Where-how?" He looked confused. Probably because his last memory was being hooked up to a death machine and left to bleed out.

"I'm not really sure myself Doc. We woke up out of the Cryo-pods over there." I gestured in the general direction of the pods behind me. "After that, we went upstairs and found you hooked up to that death machine."

"The Dark Mechanism." The whole mood of the conversation seemed to dip with just those words alone. They held so much weight, and Richtofen looked so lost as he stared into space. Something had happened before I had woken up here. Something bad.

"Richtofen." He looked at me again, immeasurable sadness being reflected in his eyes. This Richtofen isn't the same one who led us around Tranzit on earth. He doesn't even feel like the same Richtofen that locked us in the pods. He seems less eccentric. Less put together. More broken. "What happened here? Who left you behind?"

Richtofen seemed to consider his answer for a moment, then he spoke.

"It all started when we arrived here. Alcatraz….my own personal Purgatory."

From there, Richtofen weaved a wild tale. An ancient race called Apothicons fighting over an element called 115. The creation of a utopian paradise called Agartha. War, dimensions, Shadowmen, and other shit that I couldn't even begin to comprehend. The endless cycle that we were all trapped in. I learned his full name. Edward Richtofen and his endless quest to break said cycle. His failures, his successes. His team. Dempsey, Nikolai, Takeo. Their tight knit crew, and their betrayal. The Kronorium, it's ability to record the future. The pages and their odd change. Richtofen's fight throughout this hellish dimension controlled by the Warden. And finally, Richtofen's sacrifice. Allowing his blood to be siphoned and allowing it to awaken Primus Richtofen. Saving them all and allowing them to leave. All except Richtofen, who was left behind to collapse this dimension with his blood.

I could understand the German's view now. It was all so unfair. Getting so far, only for another version of you to plan your death and throwing you away. Like a tool. By the end of his tale, Richtofen was freely crying as he stared at the stone ceiling in a haze.

"They didn't even question it. They just left me. Left me alone to die. I wanted it to be me." Richtofen looked at me, tears flowing from his eyes. "Is that so wrong? To want better? To work for more? To see the end that you’ve worked so hard for?"

At this point, I was crying too. I reached over and as awkwardly as I could, wrapped my arms around Richtofen. He tried to reciprocate but couldn't really move easily, still being weak from blood-loss as he was.

"No, it's not wrong. Everyone has the right to work towards a goal. To see that goal towards completion. You said it yourself! The Kronorium changed! You were supposed to die here, but you didn't! You can do whatever you want now! You're free! The cycle is broken!"

Richtofen still looked unsure. "The cycle. It was the only direction I had." I shook my head.

"No, that was a guideline. What's your ultimate goal Edward?" He seemed to think for a moment.

"To make it all stop. The Apothicons, Doctor Monty, The Shadowman, Maxis, Me. I want to secure a better tomorrow."

I smiled. "Seems like a good goal to me, but that's not what I meant." Richtofen looked confused. "What do you want right now? What's your goal in the moment."

Richtofen seemed to understand my question, but he actually had to take a minute to think about it. His face shifted from several emotions before settling on what looked to be nervousness.

"Can I stay with you?"

Well then. Can't say I was expecting that question, but I can answer it easy enough.

"Ummm, Why?"

Richtofen averted his gaze.

"I've been traveling across the dimensions for a long time Abigail. Being alone through all of it. I probably would have been claimed by insanity long ago if I tried to do all of this alone. And, well. It's…I…It's hard to…I can't" I shushed Edward as I shook my head.

I understood what he was trying to say. Being alone through the hellscapes we had all been through would have been too much. Even if it's just one other person, having anyone by his side had to have helped him keep it all straight.

"I get it. I don't think I would be able to do it all alone either." Edward looked relieved.

"Misty! We got it! It took way too long, but we got the blood!" I turn around to see Marlton walk down the stairs, Russman in tow as they  both carry down containers full of red glowing blood.

"It took you guys long enough! I'm sitting here having awesome story time with Edward here!" I don't even bother to move my head from Edward's chest, deciding that he was just a better pillow than the table. Richtofen chuckled at my antics.

"Might I ask why you have decided to use me as a pillow Abigail?"

I give Edward a smug grin. "Maybe because I'm tired after giving your sorry ass half my blood supply?" Edward's eyes widened at my careless statement, but I cut him off before he could respond. "Hush, don't worry! My blood type is O-Negative so you shouldn't die or anything like that. Besides, my very confused friends over there have all your weird glowy blood in containers just for you."

True to my words, Marlton and Russman could do little else but stare slack jawed at me and Edward's behavior. I couldn't blame them. If someone told me that I would be teasing an interdimensional traveler a few days ago, I probably would have thought about it for a few seconds before slapping them and telling them to fuck off.

"Um, Misty? You are aware that the injured man you are laying on is Richtofen? And that he's awake?"

I felt like fucking with my friends a bit, so, with the most innocent expression I could muster, I sat up, tilted my head and spoke.

"What?"

Marlton looked like a very confused dog as he pointed at Edward and just sputtered.

"What I think our idiotic friend here is trying to say-" Russman steps forward, passing the confused Marlton. "Is what the hell are you doing girl?! He's the enemy!"

Deciding that I could go further with the mental fuckery, I start spouting bullshit in the most childishly naïve voice I can.

"What, Edward? Naw! He's nice! He would never do anything to us!" Sarcasm drips from every word I say. "Besides! He killed the evil Richtofen! Isn't that right Edward?"

I give an obvious wink towards Edward, hoping he would catch on to the joke. Thankfully, if the grin on his tired face was anything to go by, he did catch on.

"Yes Abigail! I did kill the other Richtofen. Unless of course he can survive a bullet to the brain. Though, since I can't I doubt he can."

Every word was exaggerated. Exactly what I wanted him to do. It was a little shaky and obvious, but something tells me Edward hasn't had many opportunities to screw around and have fun for awhile. At this point, Russman and Marlton both just stood there and stared at us, blood jugs in hand, looking like the they had missed a joke somewhere. I'm just giving them this innocent smile that Edward can somehow copy almost perfectly. We hold this little staring contest for a few more moments before I lose all composure and just start laughing at everything. At Edward, at this island, at this joke, at my gullible friends, at Stuhlinger who was somehow still sleeping in the corner, and at myself for even starting this entire scenario.

"Misty? What's so funny?"

I can distantly hear Marlton talking to me, but I'm too busy keeling over on my stool laughing to answer anything at the moment. A few moments of me laughing (And Edward chuckling lightly) later, and I finally have the ability to answer my poor friends.

"Everything's funny. All of this-" I gesture to the room. "It's all a fucking joke."

I lay my head back down on Richtofen, an action that he just accepts as he stares at me.

"This poor bastard was left here, just like us. What has he got to hide? What have WE got to hide? Here? On this hellhole of an island? We're all just… lost souls, in need of direction. And hell, he can help us, and we can help him. Don't call him the enemy. Because when have we ever known who the real enemy is?"

Everyone in the room looked unsure and conflicted, except Edward who stared was staring at me with wide eyes. I didn't pay attention to anybody, just fiddled with the threads and pockets on Edwards vest.

"How long have we been doing this guys? I stopped counting the days after the first teleport. Kinda figured time didn't matter when you couldn't tell what day it was." I look at my group. "How many meatsacks have you put six feet under? How many corpses have you blown into pieces or shred into bits? How many? Do you even know?!"

"I don't." I turn to look at Edward. He looks exhausted. A level of tiredness that I didn't think a person could actually have. In that moment, Richtofen looked like he bore the weight of the world on his shoulders. "I don't know how many people I've killed. Both living and undead. I stopped counting the days so long ago. I'm not even sure how old I am."

Both Russman and Marlton sat down on the floor, blood jugs by their feet. They looked ashamed and understanding , rather than the cold rage and mistrust they possessed just minutes ago.

"Look-" I sit up off of Richtofen's chest. "Enough, it doesn't matter what we all think. The bottom line is this. We are all trapped in this bullshit pocket dimension and the only one that can get us out is Edward here. Regardless of how all of you feel about him, he's staying."

"She's right."

We all turn toward the corner of the room, only to see Stuhlinger leaning on the wall, an oddly focused gleam in his eyes. He gets up and slowly makes his way towards Edward. I try to lurch to my feet, fully prepared to draw my knife if he makes so much as ONE wrong move. Although, my action doesn't seem to matter since Stuhlinger doesn't attack Edward at all. He just walks up until he's RIGHT there in his face. Then they just stare at each-other, searching for something.

"You're not him." Stuhlinger backs up, eyes filled with finalized judgement. "You don't have that mad gleam in your eyes." Stuhlinger walks back to his corner, leaning there on the wall.

"Misty's right. This ones clean. Might as well see what he can do to help us."

Well, holy shit. If Stuhlinger thinks he's clean, then the rest HAVE to agree. Marlton agrees first, simply accepting Edwards presence with a nod and a smile. Russman grumbles about it, but even he eventually agrees with a terse nod.

"So, we all agree that Edward is now a part of Victis?"

Everyone responds with a resounding 'AYE'. Turning towards Edward, who looks bewildered at the events that just unfolded in front of him, and give him the biggest shit-eating grin I can muster.

"Well! Looks like you really are staying Eddie! Welcome to the family!" I expected him to laugh, so I was a bit concerned when more tears started leaking down his face. "Hey? Are you okay?"

"Yes. I am fine. More than fine, in fact. I'm just, so relieved." I could see it in his eyes. The fear that he would be rejected, suddenly replace itself with relief and hope. I found myself smiling.

"Yeah." I place my ungloved right hand on his face, wiping away his tears. "You're gonna be alright."

"Simple as that yeah?"

We both smile even bigger.

"Yeah,"

I kiss his forehead.

"Simple as that."

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if i'll add more to this. Maybe if people like it.


End file.
